Trap



July 25, 1939. w. E. BOWMAN 2,167,291 v TRAP Filed July 25, 1936 J6 fl liq, .7. 5

it 59. ,e 38

Snvmtor W02 8. 611; JO, 2277/10/72 i I an (Ittorneg Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES {PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention pertains to traps and particularly to the types used to capture rodents which occasionally infest homes and commercial houses.

It is an object of my invention to construct a 5 trap which does not kill or maim the animal but to cage it until it may be exterminated in the most humane manner.

Another object of my invention is to permit the platform to be operated by the weight of the animal within the trap to simultaneously operate the release for the doors at either end.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a well ventilated trap.

A further object of my invention is to permit of access to the interior of the trap without rasing the door while the animal is encaged.

A still further object of my invention is to construct means for setting the trap without danger to the setter. 1

With these and various other objects in View,

the invention may consist of certain novel fea tures of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawing and claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of the device, and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts,

Figure l is a front elevation of my device in set position with the closed position of certain parts shown in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is a similar top plan View while Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

The top of the trap, I6, is composed of a wire network, comprising individual wires l2 secured together by cross pieces or braces it, of which there are four, and extend downwardly at the.

outer ends to form side braces l6 and continue around under the bottom to be bound together at it thus forming bottom braces IS. The two sides and top are likewise formed of a wire network, the individual wires l2 being suitably spaced from each other and are secured in any well known manner tothe braces as by swaging the side wire members by any well known means as at 46; Formed out of these two plates 38 are flanges 42 Which extend inwardly of the trap a sufficient distance to be engaged at Mby a fulcrum support member 46; A platform 48 is provided having an opening 56 which is adapted to be engaged by the member 52 of the support member 46. Secured on top but adjacent the sides of this platform :38 and centrally of this door are two vertical rods 56 which extend a sufiicient distance above the top of the trap so as to have cooperative engagement with a lever 56 as by striking. This lever is provided with arms 55 and 5l extending therefrom.

Secured to the top of the trap and centrally thereof is a plate 58. A bolt 60 having a head 62 and nut 64 is inserted through the plate 58, a spacer 66 and the lever 56. Apertures 58 are located in the lever 56 and adapted to receive operating rods 10. There are two of these operating rods on each side of the center of the lever and each pair extends toward the opposite doors 30 and 32. On the top of the trap and just inside of the doors are guide loops 12 which are secured to the top braces M, as by loop 14.

There is provided means for permitting access to the interior which comprises an opening l6 formed by a plate 18 secured to the side wire members and having flanges 86 tapering inwardly to provide a reduced opening 82. A pivoted lever 84 is secured to the top flange and arranged to hang in the central portion of the reduced opening 82 to prevent exit of a relatively small animal through this opening. This construction has not been shown in Figure 3 for the purpose of avoiding confusion in the drawing. This lever 84 may be weighted to insure non-exit and more than one of the levers may be used.

Referring to Figure 1, the doors 3i) and 32 are shown released as indicated by the dotted line positions of the platform 48 and the rods 56. In Figure 2, the lever 56, the rods 55, the platform 48 and the rods 10 are dotted to show their respective positions when the mechanism is actuated. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 to show the relative position of the operating members when the device is in so called open position.

Operation When the device is in open poistion, the trap is baited by placing food on the platform or upon the prongs 63 extending from bolt so that an animal upon entering the trap will of a necessity cause the platform to drop or swing downwardly because of the animals weight upon the platform. The slightest weight, such as the animals paw will cause this platform to tilt and so operate the connecting apparatus.

The tilting of the platform causes the rods 54 to lean in the direction shown by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2 thus, if the tilt is to the left, the rod 54 on the near side bears against the arm 55 of the lever 56 and if the platform is tilted to the right, the other rod 54 bears against the arm 51. In each case, the lever 56 is moved in a clockwise direction which causes the four rods 10 to be drawn inwardly from under wires 34 of the doors, thus permitting the doors 30 and 32 to drop simultaneously and close the ends 20 and 22.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a trap, two end closures, a fulcrumed platform, a lever, means connected at right angles to said platform for striking said lever, and means connected to, said lever for holding said end closures in open position substantially above said trap, said lever striking means and said second means being operated by movement of said platform.

2. In a trap, two end closures, slidably mounted on said trap, a fulcrumed platform, a lever, members connected at right angles to said platform and having cooperative striking engagement with said lever, and door supporting means connected to said lever, said members and said means and operable upon movement of said platform.

WALTER E. BOWMAN. 

